Evan A Rose Has To Die
by WitchGirl
Summary: First the roses, then the strange phone calls, and now, Abby meets a creepy patient. What's going on? And will Abby live through it? (R for horror, some language, some violance, and very VERY little sexual content). I HAVE POSTED CHAPTER FOUR! READ!
1. Roses

Evan A Rose Has To Die  
  
Summary: First the roses, then the strange phone calls, and now, Abby meets a creepy patient. What's going on? And will Abby live through it?  
Disclaimer: No I do not own a single character except maybe the spooky dude who calls himself Jack. Hope you enjoy!  
Genre: Horror  
Rating: R  
  
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Abby Lockhart stared in confusion at the bouquet of roses at her door.  
"Who on earth..." she trailed off as she searched for a card. She found a small, rectangular piece of notepaper, torn on one side as if it was hastily ripped out of a notebook.  
  
My Dearest Abby  
  
May we spend an eternity together.  
  
That was it. No signature, just a simple sentence. Abby laughed. The sentence sounded so... Impractical. It didn't sound right. No one she knew would send her this, but then again, maybe Luka... But Luka was away. He had left this morning to visit friends in Europe.  
"Maybe this is some sort of goodbye present..." she reasoned. After all, who would send her roses? So she sighed and ran a hand through her hair and left for work.  
  
"Abby, there's a note here for you," Randi said, drawing something on a piece of paper and holding a pink envelope in her hand. Abby took it.  
"Thanks, what are you doing now?" Abby asked. Randi looked at her and smiled.  
"Check this out!" she said, holding up the piece of paper.  
"Oh, I should have known!" Abby nodded at the small designs of clothing, "Nice."  
"Hey Abby, could you help me over here for a minute?" Carter asked, poking his head out of an exam room and into the hall.  
"Sure!" Abby said, the letter fluttering to the floor from her fingers. She joined Carter in the exam room and helped him with a patient.  
  
At one o'clock that night, Abby was at home, just about to retire to bed, getting off at midnight, when suddenly her phone was ringing.  
"Now who would call at this hour of the night?" she asked herself and answered the phone.  
"Did you get my note?" asked a voice on the other end.  
"Um... Note?"  
"The pink envelope."  
"Who's speaking, please?" Abby asked.  
"Well, did you?"  
"Who am I speaking with?"  
"Call me Jack."  
"I don't know a Jack," Abby said into the receiver.  
"Did you get the note or not?"  
"No, I... I think I dropped it. Why?"  
"Don't worry, I'll send you another. Did you like the roses?"  
"You sent those?" Abby asked, surprised.  
"Yeah, who else would? That Kovac boy?"  
"Listen, I don't know who you are, but-"  
"Oh, but I'm your biggest fan!" the man was excited, "I love you more than Kovac does or even that stupid Carter person. You mean everything to me!"  
"How did you get this number?" she demanded. *I'm not being stalked, I'm not being stalked, I'm not being-*  
"It doesn't matter. You should be more concerned about how I got your home address," *Oh God, I am being stalked!* Abby thought. Tears of fear stung her eyes.  
"Awe, now, Abby, don't cry!" the voice said.  
"How did you know I was..."  
"Did you like the roses?" the voice asked again.  
"They were... nice," Abby didn't know what to say.  
"I'm glad you like them. You're like a rose, Abby, so beautiful and so fragile," The voice sounded insanely happy and Abby had no doubt that her stalker was mentally unstable.  
"Yes... Well, I gotta go, now, I hope you don't mind..." and without waiting for an answer, she hung up. But just as she returned to her bedroom, the phone rang again. She picked it up.  
"Hello?"  
"Abby..."  
"OK, listen, you psycho!" she wasn't going to tolerate any more of this, "If you don't stop this weird stuff, I'm getting a restraining order!"  
"Don't say that, Abby, you know you don't mean it, you know you love me!"  
"I don't even know who you are; I've never even seen you before! You are just some freak who likes to scare me!"  
"Abby..."  
"Goodbye!" she slammed down the receiver. Not three minutes later did the phone ring again.  
"Let the machine get it," Abby sighed, "It better not be that freak!"  
"Abby..." the voice sang in a sing-song voice, "I know you're there! Pick up!" soon, her cell phone was ringing as well and her pager went off.  
"Ah!" Abby screamed in surprise. Her phone kept ringing, her pager kept beeping, and the machine kept recording.  
"Pick up, Abby..." it sang. Then, there was a click and he was gone.  
  
Abby went in at ten o'clock the next day.  
"Hey Abby! There's another letter for you!" Randi said, seeing her.  
"Oh no," Abby sighed.  
"Huh?"  
"Do me a favor and burn it!" Abby said.  
"I don't know. The guy that dropped it off seemed like he really wanted you to read it," Abby sighed.  
"Fine, give it to me," the envelope was blood red.  
  
My Dearest Abby,  
  
Roses are red  
Blood is, too  
No one does that to me  
You'll get what you're due!  
  
"Wow," Abby said, not the slightest bit impressed, "He threatens me in a love poem and starts it with: My dearest Abby. What a psycho!" she shook her head, brushed it off and began to walk away.  
"Hey Abby, I think you-" but she was already out of earshot. Carter held up a pink envelope and finished his sentence, "Dropped this yesterday. Oh well."  
  
There were no phone calls that night and Abby was feeling a lot better than she had the night before. As she was picking up her book, about to read it, there was a knock on her door.  
"Oh God, he's at my house!" Abby's security left instantly. She didn't answer the door and no one knocked again. Abby sighed with relief. It must have been her imagination playing tricks on her. But just as she finished her first page of reading, there was another knock at the door. Abby didn't move. A few moments later, there was another knock. Abby got up and slowly approached the door, stopping by the kitchen first and picking up a long sharp knife. Every step she took was slow, steady, and quiet as the balls and heals of her bare feet slowly touched the hard wood floor. Soon, she was at the door which was now knocking fervently. She opened it, clutching the knife as if her life depended on it.  
"Whoa, watch it, Abby, you'll poke someone's eye out with that thing!" Abby let out a big sigh of relief and lowered her hand.  
"Malucci!" she half-screamed, "What are you doing at my apartment this late in the night?"  
"It's a good thing I am because I think someone's been watching a little too much Nightmare on Elm Street," Dave said, eyes still on the knife as if unsure if Abby was going to raise it again. Noticing his unease, Abby put the knife down.  
"Seriously, what are you doing here?"  
"I found this note today, and I just, well," Dave was squirming. This was obviously hard for him to say.  
"You what?"  
"I came to see if you're OK."  
"What note?"  
"This note!" Dave took out a piece of paper, blood red and began to read, "Roses are red, blood is, too, no one-"  
"OK, that's enough," Abby couldn't believe she had left that note in an easy to find place, "Look, Dave, I'm fine and I don't need a babysitter. Thanks for thinking of me, though, I didn't know you had it in you."  
"Yeah, well..." Dave was becoming uncomfortable and quickly changed the subject, "Oh, and by the way, I found these outside your door. Looks like they've been here for a while. Well, I should go now, so, bye!" Dave left fast after passing Abby a bouquet of roses. A bouquet of dead roses. Abby's eyes widened. There was a card again.  
"Even a rose has to die sometime," Abby said aloud. She looked around before stepping inside again.  
  
"Hey Abby they need you in exam 4!" Mark yelled as he passed.  
"Yeah, sure, I'll be right there!" she called back, not quite sure if he was paying any more attention to her. He was busy with Carter and a trauma patient, "Another day, another patient!" She sprinted to exam room four where she walked in and found Dave Malucci tending to a patient who didn't seem too happy to be there.  
"Get the Hell away from me, you son of a-"  
"So, Dave, who's this pleasant gentleman?" Abby asked, a smile creeping up on her face.  
"I don't know, he won't tell us! But he won't cooperate for anyone! However, he has been asking for 'that cool brown-haired girl called Abby something' for a long time now. Wanna take over?"  
"Well, my personal opinion would be not really, but I guess it's my job to take him if you want me to, isn't it?"  
"Yes it is!"  
"All right then!" Abby said, "What's his problem?"  
"Mentally or physically?" Dave asked. Abby gave him an exasperated look.  
"You know what I mean!"  
"Yeah, asshole, you know what she means!"  
"Can it!" Dave shot at the patient, "He won't tell us! There doesn't seem to be any visible scars, but he claims he's in pain. I think he's just a hypochondriac if you ask me."  
"Thank you, Dave, but no one did ask you so I think that'll do!" Abby said, hastily as she put the restraints on the patient when he tried to lunge at Dave after his statement. And so, Dave departed, gladly, and Abby was left alone with the strange patient. Abby looked after Dave and jumped at a hand on her shoulder. She turned around quickly and saw that the patient had somehow slipped out of his restraints.  
"Who are you, Houdini or something?" she asked, surprised.  
"Next time, you might wanna tie them tighter," he smiled a crooked smile.  
"OK, what's your name?" Abby asked, looking at the chart Dave had left. She looked back up at the man who was still grinning.  
"Is there something amusing about your ailment, sir?" she asked.  
"No, I was just thinking how good you'd look in those restraints," Abby looked puzzled and slightly frightened.  
"Your name, please, sir," she repeated, keeping a brave face. The man walked to the door and locked it. Abby watched him, suspiciously, but still keeping her cool, "What are you doing?" the man looked through the window in the door and turned out the lights. He turned around again.  
"Nothing," he answered.  
"Would you please stop smiling like that?" *It's scaring me,* she added in her head.  
"But why? Smile and the world smiles with you! Scream, and you die alone," Abby didn't know what to say to this.  
"Smile!" the man ordered.  
"No thank you!" Abby squeaked.  
"Smile, damn it!" his own smile faded and turned into an expression of anger. Noticing Abby opening her mouth to scream, he added, "Scream and you die alone," Abby put on a forced smile, "That's more like it!" he regained his ghastly smile. He advanced on her and she backed up into the bed. The man sighed and stroked her cheek. His hand was cold, like ice.  
"Horses can sense fear, you know. So can dogs."  
"That's nice," Abby kept her weak, forced smile. The man leaned closer and inhaled Abby's hair.  
"You're a very pretty girl," he told her.  
"No I'm not. There are loads more pretty girls much prettier than me right outside that door. Why don't you go look?"  
"Funny. I was going to say you were to pretty to die."  
"I mean, yeah, sure, I'm pretty!" Abby corrected herself, hastily, forcing a laugh, "I'm just playing with you!"  
"I'd like to play with you," the man whispered in her ear and it sent shivers up her spine.  
"Um..."  
"But not now," he said aloud and pushed her onto the bed. Abby was horrified! What did this man intend to do to her? He began to put her into the restraints.  
  
"Abby, I forgot my..." Dave trailed off, trying to open the door, "Why did you lock the door?" he asked and knocked, "Abby, I need to get in there!" there was no answer and Dave began to rattle the door, "Abby!" looking through the window, he noticed the lights were out, "OK, something isn't right here..."  
  
"Dave! That's Dave!" Abby said, her hope rebuilding itself.  
"He won't get in," Abby's torturer said, tightening a restraint on her left arm.  
"Owe! What are you going to do, amputate my arm?" she asked, feeling the restraint cutting off the circulation to her arm.  
"Hm, good idea," the man's smile widened.  
"Da-!" Abby screamed but the man put his hand to her mouth before she could get out the V and the E.  
"Scream and you die alone!" the man kept saying that.  
"Abby?!?!" Dave's concerned voice came from outside, "Are you OK?" the door began to rattle more violently.  
"I can't finish with these interruptions!" the man declared, tightening Abby's other arm.  
"Da-" again, she didn't finish as the man slapped her so hard in the face, it drew blood and for a moment, Abby was dazed. Just as the man finished tightening her bounds, the door stopped rattling. Coming to her senses as the details of the dark room sharpened around her once more, Abby asked the question again.  
"What are you going to do?"  
"If you don't shut up, I will rip your arm out of your socket and shove it down your throat while you slowly suffocate to death as I cut off your legs," he threatened. This silenced her and he brought out a knife.  
  
"Chief, something's wrong in exam 4," Dave said, urgently at the admit desk.  
"What ever it is, Malucci, it will have to wait! There's a patient in trauma one who is dying on us and I need to-"  
"God damn it!" Dave yelled. Kerry gave him an alarmed look as she rushed off to the trauma room. Dave saw Jerry.  
"Hey Jerry, there's something wrong in exam 4!"  
"What are you telling me for?" Jerry asked.  
"I need a god damned idiot such as your self who could help me get in there!" Dave said, through gritted teeth, losing his temper fast.  
"Why do you need my help to get in there? Can't you just use the door?"  
"Don't you understand?" Dave screamed, "I can't go through the damn door because it's locked! And Abby's on the other side!"  
"Then why don't you get Abby to unlock the door for you?" Dave gave out a small scream of frustration.  
"Something wrong Dave?" Carter asked. Dave limited his sentences to a minimum now.  
"Trouble. Exam 4. Abby. Trapped in room with crazy patient. Door locked. Can't get in. Comprendo?" obviously, Carter understood because he started running to exam four with Dave on his heals.  
  
"Abby?" It was Carter's voice now, but Abby could barely hear them. Carter banged on the door. The noise sounded miles away. Abby groaned in pain as the madman made one long, last incision on her right arm going from her shoulder down to the palm of her hand.  
"The operation is complete, doctor! That'll teach you to hang up on me! No one dumps me without getting their comeuppance!" he laughed, "Now if you do excuse me, I must make my disappearing act!" and with that, he climbed out the window.  
  
"ABBY!" Carter began to ram himself against the door with Dave.  
"Gentlemen, please!" Romano said as he passed, "People will hear you and wonder what you are doing, myself among them!"  
"Abby's in there!" Carter told him.  
"Really?" Romano said, his eyes widening, "Wow, we should call the police, Abby's in an exam room!" Romano rolled his eyes and walked away.  
"Does he *always* have to be such an asshole?" Carter asked Dave. Dave nodded and they continued trying to break down the door.  
"Excuse me?" Kerry was there now, watching them.  
"Chief, Abby's-"  
"Dr. Weaver, I think-"  
"There was this crazy patient and-"  
"So Abby's inside and now we-"  
"Now the door's locked-"  
"We can't open the door because-"  
"Whoa, one at a time!" Kerry interrupted the two who were speaking at the same time.  
"Abby's locked inside with a crazy patient!" Dave told her.  
"How come I wasn't notified sooner?" Kerry demanded. Dave let out a frustrated sigh, not even bothering to defend himself and the three doctors continued to try and open the door, finally succeeding in knocking it down.  
"Oh my God!" Kerry said, trying to keep her self from fainting by clutching her crutch.  
"Abby!" Carter stared at her.  
"No," Dave shook his head. Carter pulled a small pink letter out from his pocket.  
"My dearest Abby, roses are red, violates are blue, you are so beautiful, I want to make love to you," Carter whispered to himself. Who would write that? Surely not Luka.  
"Carter get... Get a gurney..." Kerry stumbled over her words. Carter nodded and ran out.  
  
  
TBC  
  
REVIEW or the next chapter isn't up for a while!!!!!!!! 


	2. Jack The Ripper

Chapter 2: Jack the Ripper  
  
About nine hours later, Luka ran into the hospital.  
"Oh God, I got here as fast as I could, but going from Europe to Chicago is a long flight!" Luka told the first person he saw, John Carter.  
"I know, I know, I understand," Carter smiled, weakly.  
"Thanks for calling. How is she?" There was fear, concern and definitely pain in Luka's dark eyes.  
"Well, she's doing... OK. There were... deep cuts all over her," it pained Carter to tell Luka of Abby's condition, "One straight down each of her arms, from shoulder to wrist... On her calves, one on each leg from her knee to her ankle... Her forehead, her wrists were slit... right across her stomach..." Carter couldn't finish telling Luka Abby's injuries. But he summed it up with this, "Practically, the only thing the knife didn't touch was her throat, thank God for that," Carter managed to choke out.  
"Cuts don't sound... that bad," Luka tried to tell himself and Carter, but Carter shook his head.  
"To the bone, Luka, to the bone," he shook his head sadly.  
"Blood loss?"  
"We nearly lost her. But we mannaged a transfusion."  
"That's good..."  
"Where is she?" Luka asked.  
"Still unconscious in recovery," Carter whispered. Luka nodded.  
"Would I be able to-"  
"Go ahead. But as I said, she's still unconscious," Carter answered, knowing Luka's question before he could finish asking it, "I'll take you up to her," Luka followed Carter up to Abby's room.  
"Oh God..." was all Luka could say, looking at his girlfriend, hooked up to an ECG, stitches running up and down her body. She was lying there so peacefully and pale. Suddenly, Luka turned to Carter in anger and grabbed him by his shirt collar.  
"Whoa, Luka, calm down!" Carter said as Luka shoved him against the wall.  
"Who did this to her?" he demanded. Now Luka was not a violent man and Carter had no idea what had gotten into him.  
"Put me down and I'll tell you, OK? I think I'm having trouble breathing!" Carter whispered. Luka let him down and apologized.  
"It's just... Anyone who could hurt Abby..."  
"I know how you feel," Carter said, looking in at Abby, "I wanted to choke Sobriki so bad when I heard what happened... But that's another story. You want to know who did it?"  
"Yes," Luka said, then added, "Please."  
"Well," Carter dug out the folded piece of pink paper, "Whoever wrote this, I'm guessing," Luka quickly read the note.  
"But who would write some disgusting blubber like that? Wait... You don't think Abby was having an affair, do you?"  
"There's more to it than that," Dave said, overhearing them.  
"What do you mean?" Carter asked. Dave pulled out a note from his own pocket and read it to them, "'Roses are red, blood is, too, no one does that to me, you'll get what you're due.' Apparently, Abby must have upset this guy," Luka took the note from Dave's hand and read it through himself, "That's not all."  
"Oh, great, another surprise!" Carter said, taking the poem when Luka had read it three or four times.  
"There was this one, too," Dave pulled out an envelope addressed to Abby and opened it, "I haven't read it yet..." he unfolded the black paper with silver writing by a gel pen.  
  
My Dearest Abby,  
  
I am sorry for what had to be done, but it had to be done in order to teach you a lesson. If you do not heed this warning, in the future I will be less merciful. You are a rose, Abby, and I love roses. But even a rose must die, you know, and if it must be in my arms, then so be it. I'll be watching you.  
  
When all three doctors finished the note, there was silence.  
"Luka, I have good news and I have bad news, which do you want first?" Carter asked.  
"Either."  
"The good news is, that doesn't sound like a secret admirer who wants to steal your girlfriend and have an affair. The bad news is, it sounds like a stalker who wants to own your girlfriend and kill her if necessary," Carter answered. Luka and even Dave gave him an exasperated look, "What?" Luka walked into the room and sat by Abby's bed and took her hand firmly in his own.  
"Oh Abby!" he sighed, shaking his head, "I'm here, and no one will do this to you again," But could he keep that promise?  
  
"Abby... Abby..." he called. His voice was so clear. Abby looked around. She was in a forest and heard the birds chirping. She heard water and followed it. She followed it all the way to a small stream.  
"Abby... Abby..." she ignored it and bent down to the stream. The water seemed so fresh and crystal clear. She felt compelled to put her hands in. When she felt how warm and welcoming the liquid was, she closed her eyes and gently began to wash her face with it. She was smiling, but when she opened her eyes, her smile faded. The crystal water wasn't so clear anymore. There were ribbons of red tainting the water like a poison. First a little, then more, until the stream ran red. Abby looked at her hands and gasped. They were covered in the red liquid. She knew this liquid and knew its name. Blood. The stream was full of blood. But whose blood? She felt as if she were in a bible story. She looked at the once clear blue sky only to see that it too had turned red, the usual fluffy white clouds were now shadows of dark, cruel smoke. She looked around her, where the wonderful pine trees had been and saw only dead plants. Death was all around her. She screamed. And all the while, the voice kept calling.  
"Abby... Abby..."  
  
Abby awoke suddenly and felt immense pain all over her body. Her breath shook as she inhaled. This stirred the unsoncious body, slumped over her and resting it's head on her stomach.  
"L-Luka?" she breathed, seeing him. Luka smiled at his girlfriend.  
"Abby," he sighed, happy to see her awake.  
"Why are you here? You're supposed to be in Europe!" she demanded. Luka looked at his watch, which read 8:00.  
"I think I still am!" he groaned, referring to his jet lag.  
"Luka... Why did you come back?" Abby asked again.  
"I had to, Abby," he replied, "You were hurt!"  
"You didn't have to come back for me," Abby was blushing, only a little, surprised she made her boyfriend fly for nine hours in apprehension. With this thought, she added, "Was it an easy flight?" Luka laughed.  
"Hardly! I think it was one of the worst I've ever had! I kept asking the flight attendant how much longer it would be every five minutes!" Abby laughed with Luka.  
"You were impatient, weren't you?" Abby asked, "I think that's sweet," Luka smiled at his girlfriend.  
"I think you're sweet," he told her. Abby giggled. Her pain had been momentarily forgotten, but it came rushing back in a huge wave and she groaned and lay back down, "Abby rest, you really need it," Luka told her. Abby smiled weakly and nodded.  
"I will," she promised.  
  
In her sleep, he called her again. She was back in the forest but it wasn't red anymore. It was normal. This time, though, she followed the voice.  
"Abby..." it called, "Abby..." At first, she walked, slowly through the woods, but as the whispers grew faster, so did she.  
"Abby, Abby, Abby," the wind blew the words into her ears. They seemed to come from all around her. Soon, she was in a dark part of the forest. The trees deciduous were bare, and the pines were sharp and brown. The branches of the trees loomed over her like fingers, waiting to grab her when she least expects it. She didn't know where she was. A cool wind blew and she shivered. She was drawn over to a bush; it seemed to be the only thing alive. She smiled at the bright green leaves that seemed to glow and spread warmness over the barren wasteland. She saw a beautiful flower grow; it was a red rose. She cupped her hand around the blossom. Soon, though, her smile faded and a look of puzzlement crossed her face as the crimson petals either crinkled into brown or fell softly to the ground. Soon, the leaves of the bush curled and turned brown and lost it's warm glow and, like the others, became dead.  
"Even a rose must die sometime, Abby," the wind whispered in her ear, "Maybe not today, not tomorrow, but soon..."  
  
Abby opened her eyes. The room was dark and her heart was racing. She felt around for Luka's hand, but he wasn't there.  
"You won't find him here," a cold voice hissed. Abby tried to scream but in one swift motion, a hand was over her mouth. Even if it wasn't there, she wouldn't have been able to scream anyway. Her breath had caught in her chest. It was her stalker, her torturer. 'Just call me Jack!' he had said. Jack. Jack the Ripper.  



	3. The Game Of Control

They stayed there, unmoving, his hand over her mouth as Jack stared at the door, waiting. Abby's breath shook, she felt it in her lungs. Minutes that seemed like hours elapsed as they stood in that frozen scene. What were they waiting for? Jack's next move was so sudden, it made Abby gasp. His head snapped quickly to meet Abby's eyes.  
"Don't worry," he whispered, "I'm not going to hurt you. You've learned your lesson, haven't you?" Abby didn't move. She didn't know how to reply, "That's a yes. Remember, you reject me again, you die. If I can't have you, no one can. Now, there are just a two more people I have to dispose of..." Abby's eyes widened. He couldn't mean who she thought he meant... Could he?  
"Yes, yes, good old Luka Kovac. How stupid is that bastard? I mean, honestly, he is such a son of a bitch. Ah, and Carter. What a stuck up phony! How annoying can you get? Always acting so damn sentimental!"  
"How dare you!" Abby had had just about enough of this, "OK, you can come here, stalk me, freak me out, and nearly kill me; it's a little pushing it, but I can handle it. But don't you DARE ever insult my friends or hurt them in any way or I swear I will hunt you down no matter how much you try to get away and I will make sure you suffer!" Abby was over him now, standing up and yelling at him. Even though her legs wobbled under her weight, he almost seemed intimidated by her. 'Go Abby!' she thought. But then, a smile appeared on his face and Abby's fear returned. It was a constant battle of who controlled who and though Abby had just had the upper hand not two seconds before, that smile, that horrible, baneful smile, shattered her control over him.  
"Abby, Abby, Abby," he shook his head, "I like strong spirited women. But was that a rejection I heard?"  
"Rejection?"  
"You are not going to reject me again!" He growled, angrily, and pushed her back on the bed, "Never again!" at that moment, the door knob began to turn but the door didn't open.  
"That's odd," Luka's voice came. Abby was not going to play the frightened, helpless victim anymore. She had played that part too often in her life and she wasn't about to give Jack the satisfaction of playing it again.  
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She screamed and kicked Jack between the legs. As he doubled over in pain, Luka began to rattle the door more viciously.  
"Abby!" he screamed, "Abby, open the door!" Abby ran over to the door, but she tripped over a fallen chair. Scrambling to get up, Jack caught her by the arm.  
"I WARNED YOU!" he screamed.  
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Abby shouted.  
"ABBY!" Luka rattled the door. Abby made a dive for it and her hands rested on the lock. Right as she was about to unlock the door, Jack picked her up with all his strength and threw her across the room. The door burst open and Luka fell in. Unexpectedly, Jack dived at Luka. Abby watched in horror as the two wrestled on the ground. Within minutes, Carter was at the door. Abby looked up and their eyes met. When Jack saw a scalpel not inches away was when Carter decided it was time to intervene.  
"Abby!" He cried, "Get Weaver!" as he jumped into the fight trying desperately to get the scalpel away from Jack. It was another game of control but this game didn't involve Abby. This game involved Luka, Carter, Jack and a scalpel and in this game, the loser might not survive.  
Luka made a grab for the scalpel but Jack yanked it away. He pulled his arm upwards and plunged it down into the tangled bodies. There was a shriek of surprise and pain as the scalpel connected with warm flesh. Jack laughed hysterically.  
Carter pulled himself away from the fight, dragging his bleeding leg with him. He sat up against the wall, panting. Jack now had Luka pinned down and Carter's eyes were wide with terror as Jack raised the scalpel once more. Luka, struggling to escape knew the stalker was aiming for his heart. But Luka stopped struggling as Jack's hand began to plunge down. Luka closed his eyes tight, waiting for the pain.  
But something grabbed Jack's wrist before it could reach Luka's chest.  
  
Abby ran frantically around the hospital looking for Kerry. Mark stopped her in her pursuit.  
"Abby!" he declared, "Abby, you have to lay down! You've had a really long day! Look at you! You're pale and exhausted."  
"Dr. Greene!" Abby gasped, "Dr. Greene!"  
"Yes, I think I know my name, Abby," he told her.  
"Dr. Greene, Luka... And Carter... They're... Oh, just come!" Luke grabbed Mark's wrist and dragged Mark to her room. Something began to beep.  
"Abby, I'm being paged-"  
"Ignore it!" Abby ordered and kept pulling him through the halls.  
  
Jack looked up at the hand around his wrist and struggled to free it. Luka opened his eyes.  
"LET GO!" Jack ordered, "LET ME GO!"  
"Why should I?" Dave's eyes narrowed.  
"Because I say so!" Jack told him, "Now let me go!"  
"I don't think so," Jack took the scalpel and stabbed it into Dave's hand, sending a sharp pain up his arm. Dave immediately let go. Just then, Mark and Abby arrived.  
"What the Hell is going on here?" Mark asked, looking from the panting Luka, to Dave's bleeding hand, to Carter up against the wall. Jack could see with all the people around that this was a losing battle. He took one last glance at them all and jumped out the window. Mark ran over to the window and looked down, but Jack was nowhere to be seen.  
"Come on, Malucci, Carter. We need to get you two fixed up," he shrugged, "The police can handle him." Mark helped Carter up and put Carter's arm around his shoulder. He led Carter out of the room, followed by Dave, cradling his hand. Abby ran over to Luka.  
"Luka, honey are you OK?" she asked him. Luka looked over at the window where Jack had disappeared.  
"Why do I have a feeling that this isn't over?"  



	4. Calm of the Storm

Carter ran. Faster than he had ever ran in his life. He was running down a dark long hallway of the ER, checking every room, listening to every sound.  
"Abby?" he called into one room.  
"Abby?" into another.  
"Abby?" No answer.  
"Abby?" Time was getting shorter.  
"Abby?" Places to look were running out. He ran into the lounge and opened his mouth to call her name again, but someone interrupted him.  
"She's not here," said the figure on the couch with the newspaper hiding his face still. Carter looked up.  
"Then where is she?" the old man looked up from his paper.  
"Where is Abby?" the man repeated the question, "I have a question for you, Dr. Carter."  
"I believe mine is more urgent." Carter narrowed his eyes at the man. The man ignored him.  
"Where is Bobby, Dr. Carter? Aren't you still looking for him?" Carter stared at the man.  
"What does he have to do with this?"  
"He has everything to do with this, Dr. Carter. And where is Lucy? You haven't found her yet either, now have you?"  
"Lucy has nothing to do with this either." Carter's voice was shaking and he swallowed hard.  
"I'll tell you where they are, Dr. Carter. They're lost."  
"I know that. I know they're lost. But I'm not looking for them right now."  
"But isn't it true that in your pursuit for Abby you are looking for all of them as well? When you find Abby you will find Bobby and Lucy will you not?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"What do Bobby and Lucy mean to you?"  
"Where's Abby?"  
"Abby is... Abby is..."  
"Yes?"  
"Abby is lost."  
  
Carter sat up. He had fallen asleep and he found himself on the same couch the old man had been sitting on. It was later and police were everywhere in the hospital.  
He groped around for his crutch. Even though he told them he could walk fine without it, they were very insistent. He knew his leg would heal and he didn't need a crutch to help him walk. Sure, he limped a bit whenever he didn't use it but so what? It's only a limp.  
Right now, Carter had bigger concerns than a little limp.  
Carter slowly got to his feet and was yawning when he suddenly remembered his dream. He stopped in mid-yawn. He had mentioned Abby in his dream. And Bobby. And Lucy.  
  
Abby was breathing hard. Not only would Luka not leave her side, but Dave was always in there too, bandaged hand and all. She didn't blame them, actually. She was terrified herself. The police were all over the hospital, circling it like vultures outside and searching like ferrets inside.  
"Luka," she said, "go talk to that police man that's been waiting politely, would you?"  
"But Abby-" Abby stopped him with a look as she saw the officer in the doorway sigh with relief. Luka went with him outside.  
"You sure you're OK, Abby?" Dave asked.  
"I'm great, Dave, really. I just have a couple scars and that's all," she was more energetic then she was before.  
"OK then..." Dave's eyes began to wander after those two words and he added quickly, "I mean, I wasn't worried, or anything, I just wanted to make sure because Luka..."  
"Dave," Abby interrupted.  
"Yeah?"  
"Give it up," she smiled at him.  
"Yeah, well, I got to go, so I think Luka can take care of you fine," Dave changed the subject.  
"Your mother calling, Dave?" Abby asked. Dave turned around on his way out and held up his pager.  
"I wish! Just Weaver," he smiled back at her and exited, passing Luka and the cop in the hall, but Luka didn't notice. The door closed and Abby's view of Luka was blocked again. It seemed awfully cold in the exam room. Cold and empty now that Dave was gone. Abby was alone again. And she wasn't sure that that was a wise idea. Her eyes darted instantly to the window, but the night was calm and the scene was placid. She swung her clammy legs over the bed and walked on weak knees to the window. Though she was still full of energy and was aware of her surroundings, her body was still getting used to the fact she was nearly killed. Twice.  
She walked to the window carefully, twisting her hospital gown between her fingers. As she approached it, she leaned over the windowsill slowly and looked down. Nothing. She looked to her left and then to her right, and then down again. Nothing still. So she looked up at the sky. The sliver of what was left of the moon was waning and the stars were like scattered fireflies in the ebony sky. She sighed. It was pretty tranquil and nothing could bother her right now. He wouldn't come back for a while... Or so she believed. The hairs on the back of her spine stood on end as a voice from behind her said:  
"Abby, you shouldn't do that. You might fall."  
  
Carter was in a daze, his dream coming slowly back to him. He saw police everywhere and Kerry talking to Dave, but he could hear nothing. He sat obliviously in a nearby chair and was completely unaware of his surroundings. He was in another world, another lifetime, where he had once known a boy called Bobby.  
  
"Come on, just pitch!" Bobby ordered, bat in hand, "It's taking you long enough."  
"Hold on, Bobby," John said, flicking off the blades of grass that were glued to the ball by water. When he was ready he threw the ball and Bobby hit it. It went high over their heads and into a tree.  
"I'll climb it," Bobby said, "I hit the ball."  
"No, I can get it. I'm closer anyway."  
"No, seriously. You stay there, I'll be right back." Bobby scaled the tree with the ease of a monkey, his hands flying from one branch to the next. John ran up to the big tree and looked up at his brother, now camouflaged against the leaves, thanks to his green shirt.  
"Bobby, you got it?" he called up.  
"Almost," Bobby replied. John gasped as his grandmother was coming their way.  
"John, where's your brother?" she asked, kindly. Bobby knew and didn't make a sound. Their grandmother didn't like them climbing trees, though Bobby and John did it often. She didn't think it was proper. Of course, she wasn't a baseball fan either.  
"He'll be right back. He just forgot his glove somewhere. Don't worry, Gamma," John grinned. Bobby sighed. Suddenly, one of the small branches holding him up snapped and he tensed up again. Gamma looked up at the tree suspiciously.  
"We saw a crows nest in that tree, Gamma," John tried desperately to make her notice him instead of the tree.  
"Did you now?" she asked, eyes still on the tree. Even though Bobby was wearing his green shirt and was hidden by tons of leaves, he felt she saw straight through those things and saw him stick out like a soar thumb.  
"OK, young man, now I want you out of there this instant!"  
"Uh..." Bobby didn't know how to reply. Then, he saw the baseball, "Hold on, Gamma, lemme get the ball first."  
"Robert, no!" Gamma cried, knowing what was going to happen. Bobby was in such a hurry, he forgot to check a branch as he moved closer towards the ball. He grabbed hold of it just before the branch under his right leg snapped. He lost his balance and found himself hanging from the branch where the ball had been. Then he heard that one creak as well.  
"This must be some old tree!" Bobby muttered, right before that branch cracked as well and he tumbled to the ground. Even in immense pain, Bobby had laughed.  
"What a rush!" he cried, and laughed until the pain overthrew him.  
  
"He'd broken his leg," Carter sighed, smiling. He didn't know why he remembered that particular time, but he did. He blinked and returned to reality, with the police rushing around and the doctors just as nervous. Kerry was still talking to Dave. And Luka was still talking to that policeman. And Abby was still in her room, safe. Carter tilted his head back and sighed.  
  
"Dave, how's your hand?"  
"Is that all you wanted to ask about?"  
"It's good for a start. How is it?"  
"It's fine. Why'd you want to see me?" Dave looked at her, puzzled. Kerry opened her mouth to reply then stopped and sighed.  
"There's a patient I want you to look at in exam five." Dave stared at her.  
"What?"  
"What, did you think that just because of these circumstances we'd ignore the rest of our patients?" she'd switched in to regular 'Dr. Weaver' mode again, Dave could tell. This made him relax a bit. He hadn't seen Weaver so anxious before. Not over him, anyway. He assumed it was just Abby and what had happened to her. Or maybe she was concerned about Carter, she likes him, he thought.  
"Well, I mean..."  
"Go on, Dave! He's waiting!" she pushed him in the direction down the hall. He was beginning to head that way when she grabbed his arm again.  
"And Dave..." she said, "Don't do anything stupid."  
"I haven't!" Dave defended, like he was being accused of something.  
"Yes you did," Kerry smiled, "And you scared me."  
"Sorry," Dave muttered, "But I had to do something! Though, I guess it was kinda stupid."  
"It was also kind of brave," she smiled. Dave stared at her for a minute. Was she giving him a complement? Dr. Kerry Weaver giving him a complement? Here was an event that came once in a lifetime.  
"Thanks..." he didn't know what to say. Kerry held her head high again.  
"OK, now, Dave, Mr. Phillips is waiting!" Dave nodded and was off.  
  
"So... You struggled with him and then he took the scalpel and cut into Dr. Carter's leg?"  
"Yes."  
"And then as Dr. Carter dragged himself out of the fight, he was about to sink it in your chest when Dr. Malucci stopped him. And then he stabbed Dr. Malucci's hand and Dr. Greene and Abby showed up again."  
"Yes."  
"And do you know what he looked like?"  
"It was dark; I couldn't see his face clearly."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Dave saw him in the light. Talk to him."   
"Thank you, Dr. Kovac," the officer smiled at him and shook his hand, "You've been a great help. It was nice talking to you."  
"You too, officer," Luka nodded at the man, who turned and walked back towards his coworkers.  
  
"Seriously, Abby," he said and turned her around to face him. Abby sighed with relief.  
"Yeah, I guess you're right."  
"Are you OK?" Mark looked at her, worriedly.  
"Great. Just a bit jumpy," Abby replied, "I mean, I was attacked by a psycho tonight, you know."  
"Yeah. I noticed Luka outside and Dave's with a patient and Carter's gone somewhere... I thought you wouldn't want to be in here alone."  
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine, Dr. Greene," Abby smiled at him convincingly, though her face was still pale and the scar on her forehead- a dark, brownish red color- stuck out visibly as did her other cuts. The very image of her, standing there, strong and brave, on legs that were nearly giving way beneath her, the confident smile on her face... It would be enough to give the most despairing man in the world hope. She was holding on, be it by a thread or not, she was holding on bravely, despite all the trauma she'd gone through that night.  
"I admire you Abby," Mark smiled and shook his head, "Lie down." Abby did so, happily. But she was thinking... Something about Jack...  
"You know... There's something familiar about him..."  
"About who?" Mark asked, "Your stalker?"  
"Yeah. I can't place it."  
"Don't worry about it. Sleep. You need it. Luka will be in her shortly." Abby smiled at Mark as he closed the door, about to turn off the lights.  
"Um, Dr. Greene?" Abby said, timidly.  
"Yes?" he paused in what he was doing.  
"This'll sound a bit silly, but could you leave on the lights?"  
"Of course." Mark smiled reassuringly and closed the door. 


End file.
